Consider how often you want to lift. You should train each muscle group at least twice a week to get the most muscle gains. Add a third workout to maximize your gains. Remember that it’s important between lifting sessions to rest, which allows your body to recover and build muscle. [2] X Research source Incorporate exercises that target your larger and smaller back muscles to get the most gains in wideness and definition. This includes using your entire range of motion through different exercises. [3] X Research source Choose seven to eight exercises that target your back muscles. Do two sets and vary the number of repetitions every few weeks to get the best gains in power, size, strength, and endurance. You can also consider doing one-armed versions of exercises to maximize strength. [4] X Research source Make sure to build in a rest period of 45 – 60 seconds between sets. [5] X Research source
Pull yourself up. Pulling up your body weight is one of the most effective — and difficult — ways to build your lats. You can do a variety of different grips and variations of pull ups to build your lat strength. [7] X Expert Source Dean TheriotPersonal Trainer Expert Interview. 22 February 2021. [8] X Research source Place your hands on a bar using a narrow or wide grip. Once you’re hanging securely, engage your abs and pull up your entire body until your chin is over the bar. Do easier alternatives if you don’t have the strength. For example, you could have a box under your feet and jump up until your chin is over the bar. Then let yourself return to starting position. Do the alternative jumping pull up until you have the strength to do regular pull ups.
Find a long-bar — the kind you may see bodybuilders using — that weighs 30 – 45 pounds. Put some extra weight on one end if you are able or build up your strength 5 lbs. at a time. Begin with the bar in your hands, palms facing toward you. Bend your knees slightly and bend forward at your hips, keeping your back straight. Allow your arms to hang straight down, but don’t lock your elbows. This is the starting position. [10] X Research source Breathe out and use your forearms to lift the long-bar toward you. Keep your elbows in and your torso stable. Pause and contract your back muscles. Slowly lower your arms back to starting position and continue pulling up the weighted bar until you are finished with your allotted reps. Make sure to keep your shoulder blades down your back so that you target your lats. In some cases, pre-contracting your lats may help you more effectively engage and target this muscle group.
Find a cable machine at your gym. You can use a variety of different bars and grips for seated cable rows including narrow grip “y” shaped handles, straight handles, rope handles, “W” shaped bars, and straight bars. Add a weight that you can lift comfortably but still challenges you. Sit on the seat with your legs and arms gently bent. Keep your back straight and abs engaged. Now pull the weighted cable towards you until your bent elbows are beside your ribs. Avoid pulling the cable too quickly towards you or you won’t get at your lats most effectively. Slowly release the handle back to starting position, which will help really build muscle. Continue your reps until you’re done.
Choose seated pull downs or standing pull downs. You can do both on a cable machine, but may need to use a different weight amount. Sit down in the same position for cable rows. Make sure the bar is above your head and grip it with your palms facing away from you in an overhand grip. Square up your shoulders and engage the muscles between your shoulder blades to help prevent injury. Contract your lats and pull down the bar, aiming the center of the bar at your sternum. If you can’t pull the bar that low, don’t worry — drop some of the weight and build up your range of motion over time. Release the weight to starting position and continue until you’ve finished your reps. Stand facing the cable machine with the bar set just below shoulder-height. Place your hands on top of the bar handle and retract your shoulder blades. You will use much less weight when doing this exercise. Push down the bar, keeping the arms fully extended forward with only a slight bend in the elbow, until the bar has gently touched your thighs. Slowly control the release of the weight as you return to the starting position and finish your reps. It is very important that you pull your shoulder blades back and down before and during the exercise. This allows you to access the lats.
Get a weighted bar or a set of dumbbells. Make sure the weight is comfortable but still challenging for you. Grip either the bar or dumbbells so they are slightly wider than your shoulders. Engage your abs and stand upright as you press the weight directly upward until your arms are straight. Return the weight to the original position and finish your remaining reps. Start with a light, easy weight. As you build up strength, increase the weight so that completing 10 repetitions is challenging.
Hold your dumbbell or kettlebell in a natural position with your palms facing inward. Using your shoulder muscles, raise the weight upward to the height of your shoulder. Your palms should face the floor while you lift. Consider alternating arms to give each a rest in between reps.
Sit and bend over your belly or use an incline bench. Then raise your arms outwards in a Superman motion. Lift the weight until your arms are at the same height as your back and then return to starting position. Be aware that this part of your shoulders may not be as strong as the others. Don’t be surprised if you lift a lot less weight when you do reverse flys than with other exercises.
Back extensions Pendulum exercises[19] X Research source Deadlifts[20] X Research source Cable face pulls[21] X Research source [
Stick to two to four short cardio sessions of 20 – 30 minutes every week. While a little bit of cardio is good, too much can actually hinder your weight lifting gains. Do cardio exercises that can also help widen your back. Some examples of this are: swimming, rowing, using an elliptical, kayaking or paddleboarding, cross-country skiing, and windsurfing. Build in high-intensity intervals to get the most of your cardio session. For example, do one minute at a hard pace followed by one minute at an easier pace.
Buy your shake mix at health food and nutrition retailers. Read product labels to find a shake mix that has a healthy blend of amino acids and carbohydrates. You could get, for example, a ratio of 6 grams protein to 35 grams carbohydrates. Eat a turkey sandwich with a slice of American cheese on whole wheat bread if you can’t stomach a shake. This alternative may have the same effect.
Beets Brown rice Oranges Cantaloupe Cottage cheese Quinoa Spinach Apples Sprouted whole grain bread Wheat germ Chickpeas Lentils Beans Flaxseed
Organic milk Eggs Cottage cheese Grass-fed lean beef[27] X Research source Nuts and nut butters[28] X Research source Rotisserie Chicken Bison Seafood such as scallops Fish such as tuna, salmon, and sardines
Remember that eating lots of nutritious fruits and vegetables will also increase your daily water intake. Make sure you are properly hydrated before a workout to optimize your performance. Keep a water bottle handy during workouts to ensure you’re replacing lost fluids.
Get seven to nine hours of sleep each night. If you are tired or feel fatigued, allow yourself a 30 minute nap to relax and refresh. [31] X Research source
